Autistic children are generally perceived as different by people. Although, these kids are unable to compete with their peers, they do have a few special requirements. And the fact that these children are more sedentary than their typically-developing peers is quite worrisome. As per a study, autistic kids perform 50 minutes less a day of moderate physical activity and spend 70 minutes more sitting as compared to their peers, on an average.
The findings, however, also showed that autism does not make children less fit to engage in physical activities. Children with autism perform as well as their typical peers on fitness assessments such as body mass index, aerobic fitness levels and flexibility, the findings showed.‘The results were surprising but also encouraging because they show that children with autism are essentially on par with their peers when it comes to physical fitness activities,’ said Megan MacDonald, an assistant professor at Oregon State University in the US.
For the study, researchers tested the fitness and physical activity levels of 17 children with autism and 12 children without autism. Even though they were more sedentary, the children with autism lagged behind their peers on only one fitness measure, the strength test. ‘More research is needed to determine why children with autism tend to be more sedentary,’ MacDonald pointed out. ‘It may be that children with autism have fewer opportunities to participate in organised sports or physical education activities, but if that is the case, it needs to change,’ she added. The study appeared in the journal Autism Research and Treatment.
10 misconceptions about children with autism busted!
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day.
Autistic children are often misunderstood. Their actions are sometimes thought of in a manner that might be derogatory or they are clubbed with children with other disabilities. But did you know that autism is one of the most commonly misunderstood conditions? Well, here is an article by renowned author Ellen Notbohm about the 10 most common misconceptions about autistic children. Let’s knock a few down here:
Autism misconception #1: All children with autism have savant-like abilities
Some children with autism have savant-like abilities. Most do not. Some people who don’t have autism have savant-like abilities. Most do not. Savants are rare, period. Many parents of children with autism resign themselves to fighting this fallacy with weary humour. When asked yet again about their child’s ‘special gift,’ they reply, ‘Eating toilet paper’ or ‘Hoarding batteries.’
Autism misconception #2: A child’s meltdowns and anxiety attacks are intentional or manipulative
Sensory overload, frustration, anger, persecution, fear, sleep deprivation, hunger, pain—for the child with autism, meltdowns always have a physiological or emotional source, and never come ‘out of the blue.’ Not only are there numerous organic reasons why he might melt down, but the notion that he manufactures such distress to ‘get’ the adults around him assumes a level of intent unlikely to be present in a child with autism.
Autism misconception #3: A child who is non-verbal has nothing to say
If someone taped your mouth shut and took away your communication devices, would that mean you have nothing to say? Or would you have your same thoughts, needs, wants and fears—but no way to express them? All humans need a functional means of communication. We’ve designated speech as our gold standard of interpersonal communication, the emphasis on ‘using our words’ so dominant that when children attempt to communicate nonverbally, we often don’t heed it. (Read: 7 misconceptions about children with autism)
You may also like to read:
- Understanding autism – its causes, symptoms and treatment
- 10 things every child with autism wishes you knew
- Simple way to help detect autism earlier – a five minute questionnaire
For more articles on autism and diseases & conditions, visit our autism and diseases & conditions section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.
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